Best baking advice

Best baking advice: start
with the freshest ingredients.

Besides the aroma, the taste of fresh baked breads, cakes, cupcakes, cookies, muffins, croissants, favorite quick breads and holiday favorites, homemade always "takes the cake" over store-bought everytime.

For beginners, here are some easy, practical tips from experts that will have you baking like a pro :

Make a fresh start. There is nothing that takes away from the taste of fresh-baked more than stale ingredients. Throw out the old flour, baking powder or yeast, trash the dried-out baker's chocolate, and thoroughly clean all baking pans and utensils before you begin. Follow all measurements and instructions. Although it's tempting to add an extra dash of sugar here or butter there, more recipes are ruined than actually improved by experimenting. Timing and temperature are also important, so always keep an eye on the clock or use a kitchen timer when baking. Remember to note the actual time when you begin so you can know with certainty when to test for doneness. Opt for metal pans rather than glass when baking. Besides being more durable, metal baking pans and muffin tins often result in more evenly browned breads, muffins and cakes. Chocolate melts quickly and evenly when first cut into small pieces before heating. Stirring and watching are critical, so that the chocolate doesn't overcook and burn. Adding water only makes heated chocolate seize up and become unworkable, so make sure pots and utensils are thoroughly dry before you begin. Pie dough that has been thoroughly chilled makes for much flakier crust. Cookie dough that has been thoroughly chilled makes for plumper, chewier cookies. If you're just starting out, the best technique for learning more is by doing. Begin here with some of the most popular recipes submitted by visitors for cakes, pies and cookies, as well as hand-picked baking instructions & resources around the Web that we know you'll want to bookmark. Happy baking!